as some of you may or may not know im from england and moved to missouri of all places what steps should i take to get the ram ready for the cold weather and driveing the automatic on snow always had a manual trans front wheel drive cars andnever drove automatics in wintertime its a 4x2 and not a 4 wheel drive so its going to be an expereance to say the least being rear wheel drive

 

i'd change all the fluids (if not done already), make sure air pressures are where you want them to be (i usually ran about 32 PSI) and then throw a couple hundred lbs of sandbags in the back ( i usually had anywhere from 300-600)...i would also make sure you have a snow brush with an ice scrapper and do yourself a favor and go buy a bottle of Turtle Wax Heat (i think thats what it's called...you spray it on ice on your windsheild and it melts it)....and if your truck doesnt have keyless entry, a bottle of lock de-icer can't hurt...some people will put on those winter wiper blades, but i never bothered with em...and after that you should be pretty well set....i'm sure i missed somethin, just can't think what right at the moment

 

also put on a good set of snow tires and remember with a front wheel drive car it pushed alot in snow makin it hard to steer,how it is goin to be the opposite its goin to steer an the rear is goin to want to slide around the weight will help alot but were still going to slide around little,just use the gas to get it pointed in the direction you want to go an you'll be fine

 

Damnit I hate winter![:@] I'd touch up any scratches or chips you may have on the body, or around the bed and tailgate. They'll be nice and rusted by April.

 

Weight in the bed is the biggest thing. Put it up against the tire humps in the bed as you want to keep the weight over the axle and as close to over the rear tires as possible. A good snow tire is also critical. When driving, go only as fast as the conditions allow, regardless of speed limit and get used to engine braking (letting the engine & gearing slow you down) as using the brakes on snow & ice causes you to slide.

 

yea weight in the rear works wonders believe me!! i had that with my old truck... whenever it snowed i just shoveled some of my driveway into the bed...

 

if this is your first winter in missouri you'll find out that no one else drives worth a **** so it doesn't matter what you do, just carry a mobile phone. get a long handle windshield scraper. do get a fresh set of wiper blades and make sure the windshield resevoir is full.
where in MO are you now and what part of england did you move from? i'm in kansas cityand havesome family on my dad's side in nottinghamthat i've never met.
have fun in the snow and remember, if you get a little sideways...don't touch the brake...use the gas.

 

nottingham you say it was only 2 hrs away from preston where i was atand been there a few times for the football games as i call it soccer game as you call it over here
in missouri im in the bootheel area

 

Winter time......ahhhh yes......[:'(]

Fluids: Fresh fluids throughout if it's close to the time to change them. Rear axle, Antifreeze (Coolant. Check freezing level AND PH level.), and a good winshield washer fluid that resists freezing.

General condition: Check your vehicle as you normally would, making sure brakes are good, backing plates are lubed (if rear drum brakes), Spray entrance for E-brake cables (keeps road salt and water from getting in so easy) and check obvious things like engine drive belt and tune-up.

Battery: The 2 times a battery will leave you down, is summer heat and winter cold. If it's questionable, (4+ years old) for less then $100, you can save yourself a lot of hassle and replace it now. You'll pay that for a tow, if it leaves you stranded... At a minimum, make sure the terminal connections are clean, tight and corrosion free.

Tires: Screw M/S rated tires. Buy a set of snow tires. If you live in a snow-belt, see about buying a spare set of used rims to keep them on, and save yourself the trouble of having them mounted every winter. M/S tires are fine on a front wheel drive vehivle, but on a weightless, 2x4 pick-up, it's like driving a nail with a tack hammer. If the weather is bad enough, consider buying a set of snow chains as well. I had snow chains on a Ford F-250, 2x4, and couldn't get stuck if I wanted to....no posi either. Well worth the $80-90 investment.

Snow blades: For the last 10 years, I've use snow-blades on my wipers. I love them and swear by them, as they resist snow and ice from building up on them, like regular blades. That's not to say that snow and ice WON'T stick to them, (as it does) but it cleans off easily with one good shake, and doesn't cling to the tiny little parts of regular blades.

Tow Strap: Face it......it's a 2x4, and getting stuck is a possibilty. Buy a $50 tow strap and keep it in the truck. Guys with 4x4's are always looking to help other people out, and can yank you out of a ditch in minutes, rather then wait for AAA to show up, who are already running their asses off in the bad weather.
Chuck the 4x4 guy a $20, and you're on your way, and you're both better off....

Weight: I'm on the fence about having weight in the back of a pick-up truck. Bags of sand work well and I've used them. I try not to put weight in the back in the winter for 2 reasons:

1.) Weight reduces fuel efficiency, and to be effective, you need to add at least 250+ lbs over the rear axle to become effective.

2.) Anything in the bed, "secured" or not, is a projectile in a frontal collision. I've personally seen fronts of pick-up truck beds smashed into cabs, because of a crash with something in the bed, even "secured" by wooden planks. If you use weight, be smart about it, and use something like sand bags wrapped in garbage bags (to keep them dry). That way, you can always sacrafice one or two, in the event you need a traction agent, if it's icey.

As for actually driving: Use common sense. Take your time, and give yourself plenty of stopping time. When driving down steep hills, I drop the vehicle in neutral. Reason being, if it's in drive, with a 2x4, the rear tires are driving forward, even at idle, and can cause the truck to "push", or go straight even if the wheels are turned, due to the rear tires constantly trying to make you go. Drop it into neutral, and that stops. With today's modern brakes: antilock and rear disc brakes, this is a lot less likely to happen, but try it once if you get the chance.

Easy throttle,light braking, take your time and use common sense.....andit's manditory to bang out a few dough-nuts in a vacant parking lot ifnobody's looking.....

Outside of that............drive defensively, and avoid the morons.

 

OOOpsss.... my bad.